The resignation of former president Roseann Runte leaves Carleton University with big shoes to fill. In order to find a successor, the Advisory Committee on the Appointment of the President and Vice-Chancellor (ACAP) will be tasked with finding an ideal replacement.
The committee, which will be active throughout the 2017-18 year, will meet regularly to develop a selection process and vet potential candidates.
The committee’s mandate is “to consult widely with the University community.” It is important that undergraduates be given an opportunity to contribute during the stakeholder engagement phase. Furthermore, it is vital that students participate actively in the consultation process.
These consultations will not directly discuss who we want as the next university president. Rather, they will focus on the attributes and skills desired in the next president and vice-chancellor to address the issues the university is facing over the next five to 10 years.
If we can make our voices heard during the consultations, we can be confident that the next president of Carleton will reflect the priorities and interests of undergraduate students.
Students can provide input in an online survey on a website specially created for Carleton’s presidential search. If you choose, you can make your submission anonymous.
As the undergraduate representative on ACAP, I have been in discussions with the presidents of the Carleton University Students’ Association, the Carleton Academic Student Government, and the Rideau River Residence Association about how we engage students.
The goal of ACAP is to provide students with opportunities to participate in the process both in-person and online.
This initiative will include small group interviews, town hall meetings, open forums through student union councils, and online submission tools.
It is our hope that academic and student leaders can demonstrate their enthusiasm by sharing these resources with members of their constituencies.
Carleton students have an opportunity to help choose the university’s next president. Let’s make sure that students are part of this exciting development.
